About this project

RELIANCE - A Documentary Film

$73,498

pledged of $70,000 goal

531

backers

Why am I making RELIANCE? In honor of the missing. In honor of victims lost and found. RELIANCE is a testament to the human spirit and the animal spirit, that when combined - is an incomparable force. This is the force that can save lives or bring a loved one home.

"The strength of the wolf is the pack -- and the strength of the pack is the wolf! -Rudyard Kipling

Our $70,000 goal will pay for editing, completion of our original animations,
original music score and final sound mix. We believe in the story of RELIANCE
so strongly that we are willing to risk the all-or nothing that Kickstarter
requires: if we do not raise $70,000, all the money is returned to backers and we
get…nothing! Your card is NOT charged unless WE are SUCCESSFUL by January 2nd!

Studying these teams over the last three years I’ve discovered that while language and symbols are the basis for human communication, we often miss other forms of knowing because we sometimes over-emphasize the value of word-based communication, and we distrust our own instincts. Leadership isn’t derived from what one says, but from what one does and how his/her movements and actions make others feel deep inside. Watching dogs work with and learn from their handlers has taught me that true leadership has little to do with words and a lot to do with a strongly cultivated determination to succeed at one’s task despite all odds, despite complete risk of failure in the most public way. What moves us to act at another’s request? We want to please them, we want to enjoy the challenge of our difficult task and we want to enjoy the ‘reward’ of mutual celebration when we succeed – that is what the dogs have taught me.

Thank you NBC's Tom Winter, Stephanie Gosk, & the TODAY show for bringing the national spotlight to RELIANCE! Click here to see the show: http://nbcnews.to/1jOgncT

I have
a successful filmmaking record: My previous documentary, Holy Water-Gate, premiered in the U.S. on Showtime and broadcast on CBC/Canada,
SBS/Australia, TVE Spain, RTSI/Switzerland, DR/Denmark and ORF/Austria and then
again in the U.S. on the Documentary Channel.

RELIANCE is an immersive, experiential documentary. Filming searches and trainings over the last three years has
afforded me the circumspection to cultivate a creative vision for how
this story should be told. RELIANCE brings the audience alongside Zarrella and his K9 teams and
reveals the gripping world of missing person searches. In many cases, the
use of dogs in searches may mean life or death for a missing victim, or the
ability to help provide answers or closure for decades-old tragedies. In RELIANCE, you
will meet these human-dog teams and get to know them intimately.

RELIANCE Paw Beanie

It is “Go-Time” for Post Production and we are READY! But we cannot do it without your contribution.

Please look through our RELIANCE rewards below and SHARE our page with your friends and family. You can help bring this inspiring story to the big screen. We truly appreciate your support!

Drawing on Zarrella’s video diaries, filmmaker interviews and extensive
vérité footage, which chronicles his searches and follows a class of trainees
from their initial pairings to certification, RELIANCEwill provide a window into the extraordinary work done by
these bands of humans and canines.

RELIANCE brings the audience alongside
Zarrella and his K9 teams and reveals the gripping world of missing person
searches. In many cases, the use of dogs in searches may mean life or
death for a missing victim, or the ability to help provide answers or closure
for decades-old tragedies. You will meet these human-dog teams and get to
know them intimately. You will develop a bond with these dogs. They
will surpass your expectations. These
dogs, like some of the victims that they search for, were at one point “written
off” or “left for dead,” but as we get to know these animals and their patient
handlers, we learn that these dogs have something unique to teach us about the
limits of human knowledge, and the mystery of the human-animal bond. Dogs have the capacity to help humans in ways
we are only just beginning to understand.

The nature of missing persons searches is
incredibly stressful – for the families, for the missing and for the first
responders who are charged with the responsibility of finding the person, alive or dead. All of the first responders must conduct a search as if it
is a potential crime scene. This adds a level of stress and responsibility
to each person walking that search area, whether with a dog or as a bumpline
searcher or navigator. The pressure on every searcher is
incredible.

RELIANCE will capture this part of the story about
missing persons searches; emotions that underlie the searches are intense and the stakes are incredibly high, especially when you have a
missing child. Even more, to the dog, a search is a game and the handler must stay upbeat for their
dog partner to keep him going. K9 Search
& Rescue is a physically exhausting and mentally disciplined
endeavor. Calm is crucial for success. What becomes important on
the searches for the handlers is finding a way to maintain that upbeat
attitude, and the dogs help with that upbeat energy. K9 handlers are positive, high energy people, and so are their dogs, so their energy feeds off one
another and is really amazing to see in the midst of very stressful conditions.

Ultimately, our goal is to have U.S. and international release of
RELIANCE, which will include national and international community screenings, festivals and
broadcasts. If we raise more than our goal, we can bring
the film to community screenings to our 16,000 dedicated Facebook and Twitter fans
across the U.S., Canada,
U.K. and Europe!

Risks and challenges

Filmmaking is a long-term commitment. Some of the greatest challenges for this project are behind us: obtaining access and official permissions to film with search teams, developing collaborations with animator Daniel Sousa, Composer and Musician Timothy Maurice, shooting 100+ days. Our most pressing challenge is to secure an editor, of the caliber of our Consulting Editor, Mary Lampson, who shares her sensibilities and and sensitivities, and who can take on a project that has the inherent challenges of verite filmmaking. Unless we are fully funded, we cannot secure a schedule with an editor. We have a well organized project & vision going into post production, a clear understanding of the limits and strengths of the project.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $200 or more
About $200

“RELIANCE Fan Gallery”! Your name in the rolling credits PLUS send us an appropriate digital photo of you and/or your dog to be displayed on the RELIANCE website’s “Fan Gallery”. Plus a digital download of RELIANCE.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $700 or more
About $700

Combo Package E
All of Combo Package C PLUS “RELIANCE Fan Gallery”! Your name in the rolling credits PLUS send us an appropriate digital photo of you and/or your dog to be displayed on the RELIANCE website’s “Fan Gallery”. Plus a digital download of RELIANCE.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

VERY SPECIAL THANKS SCREEN CREDIT after top production credits, before the Special Thanks Credits. Plus a Digital Download of RELIANCE, a DVD, The SuperDog Package, e-Badge, Screensavers, Big Woof of Thanks on our Wall of Thanks plus a RELIANCE T-Shirt. Pending approval and acceptance of the filmmaker.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,300 or more
About $1,300

In Memorial & VERY Special Thanks Screen Credits! "IN MEMORIAL". On-Screen display of your dog's name, captioned by his/her birth & death date, along with the name of his/her geographic location (state, country). SPECIAL THANKS SCREEN CREDIT before the rolling credits, plus a Digital Download of RELIANCE plus a DVD, The SuperDog Package, e-Badge, Screensavers, Big Woof of Thanks on our Wall of Thanks plus a RELIANCE T-Shirt.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,500 or more
About $2,500

YOU'RE A MOVIE PRODUCER! Associate Producer Credit appears in the production credits before Very Special Thanks Credit. Plus a Digital Download of RELIANCE and a DVD, The SuperDog Package, e-Badge, Screensavers, Big Woof of Thanks on our Wall of Thanks plus a RELIANCE T-Shirt. Pending approval and acceptance of the filmmaker.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $9,000 or more
About $9,000

RELIANCE Sponsor. Your name or company's name in an "In Association with" credit at the open of the film. Also, your name or company's name or logo prominently displayed as Sponsor on the film's website. All Digital rewards plus 4x all tangible rewards, except the sculpture. Pending approval and acceptance of the filmmaker.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

RELIANCE Major Sponsor. "In Association with our Major Sponsor" credit. Your name or your company's name at as the sole credit for 5 seconds at the open of the film. Also, your name or company's name or logo prominently displayed as Major Sponsor on the film's website. All Digital rewards plus 4x all tangible rewards, except the sculpture. Pending approval and acceptance of the filmmaker.